System for capturing and analyzing cells

Abstract

A system and method for capturing and analyzing cells comprising: a fluid delivery module; a reservoir configured to receive a biological sample including a target cell population and at least one fluid from the fluid delivery module; a manifold configured to receive and distribute the biological sample and at least one fluid from the reservoir into a cell capture device; a waste chamber configured to couple to the manifold; and a pump configured to couple to the waste chamber. In embodiments of the system configured to promote further purification of captured cells, the system can further comprise a magnet that enables further separation of captured cells from undesired sample materials. The system can additionally further comprise a heater configured to heat at least one fluid and/or biological sample, and a cell capture device configured to couple to the manifold, in order to facilitate capture of the target cell population.

We claim: 
     
       1. A system for capturing and analyzing a target cell population from a biological sample, comprising:
 a fluid delivery module including a cylindrical cartridge having a set of chambers that hold at least one fluid for processing the biological sample and an actuator coupled to a piercer configured to access at least one chamber of the set of chambers; 
 a reservoir, including a reservoir inlet and a reservoir outlet, configured to receive the biological sample and to receive at least one fluid from the fluid delivery module at the reservoir inlet, 
 wherein the cylindrical cartridge of the fluid delivery module is rotatable about an axis to align a chamber of the set of chambers with the piercer, to facilitate flow of contents of the chamber into the reservoir inlet, and wherein the set of chambers is angularly displaced about the axis; 
 a manifold coupled to the reservoir at the reservoir outlet and configured to receive and deliver the biological sample and at least one fluid from the reservoir into a cell capture device; 
 a waste chamber coupled to the manifold and configured to receive waste fluid from the manifold; 
 a pump coupled to at least one of the waste chamber, the manifold, and the waste chamber and configured to drive fluid flow within the manifold; and 
 a magnet proximal the reservoir, wherein, in a first configuration, the pump drives flow of the biological sample from the reservoir in a forward direction and the magnet retains a concentration of contaminating particles from the biological sample at the reservoir, thereby facilitating separation of the target cell population from other constituents of the biological sample. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical cartridge is coupled to a first actuator configured to enable identification of a rotational position of the cylindrical cartridge, and wherein the system comprises a second actuator coupled to the piercer that enables access to contents of at least one of the set of chambers, wherein the piercer includes a puncturing tip coupled to an aperture that enables fluid flow from the cylindrical cartridge to the reservoir. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold includes: a manifold inlet coupled to the reservoir; a set of openings including a first subset of openings configured to transmit fluid flow into the cell capture device and a second subset of openings configured to receive fluid flow from the cell capture device; a manifold outlet that transmits waste fluid from the manifold; and a fluid network, coupled to the manifold inlet, the set of openings, and the manifold outlet, to enable flow through the manifold. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste chamber is coupled to a pump configured to provide positive pressure to enable fluid flow in a reverse direction through the manifold, and negative pressure to enable fluid flow in a forward direction through the manifold. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater configured to heat the cell capture device at a first surface, opposed to a second surface of the cell capture device interfacing with the manifold. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the heater includes a pair of heating elements embedded in a heating substrate at opposing edges of the heating substrate, and a plate including a fluid path configured to distribute a coolant throughout the heating substrate. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bubble removal module that drives fluid in a forward direction and in a reverse direction through the cell capture device, thereby removing bubbles trapped in the cell capture device. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reservoir and the waste chamber comprises a level sensor configured to generate a signal upon detection of a fluid level, and processor comprising a first module that receives the signal and a second module that generates a command to control fluid delivery into the manifold, based upon the signal.